Gordon Gulch to Switzerland trail to Pennsylvania Gulch = FUN
Had an absolute BLAST today with Phillip, Frank, Chris and Jake! A little misunderstanding on my part about meeting spot but we all hit the Gordon Gulch trails and explored mostly easy trails with some snow and a few ruts here and there. Saw a very deep rut system but was slippery with snow and we decided to pass on by ---- maybe another time.
Finished Gordon at Switzerland trail near the start at the north end, where Jake and Chris headed home. Phillip, Frank ('76 Chevy pickup, bad ass) and I then took Switzerland Trail to Sugarloaf mountain and then down to Pensylvania Gulch. No one had tried it since the snow was fresh (although we did see two motorcycles coming down while we were going up).
Pensylvania Gulch started off not bad and when it made to the steeper sections, it got fun!! Climbed up snowy rocks and tippy ruts for a while until we got to a sheet of ice covering the trail for a good 30 feet. Luckily the Rubicon lockers helped me get past this section without a problem..... but I knew it wasn't going to be as easy for the big pickup trucks behind me.
Phillip got a little ways but the drivers side tires just spun on the ice flow. Tried and tried not to no avail so I turned the Jeep around and pulled out the winch cable and we hooked it up to the Elephant! Tires spinning and winch pulling we got The Elephant thru the ice!!!!!
Then the lifted bad ass '76 Chevy bounced its way almost thru the ice section but then he just spun trying to make it and slowly slid back down the ice flow..... he got more momentum and got about half way thru the ice and Phillip looped his tow rope and we looped it onto his tow hitch and he pulled Frank up thru the rest of the ice! Then it was steep snow covered rocks for a while and a few big rutted root and rock sections that got the Rubicon stuck in my low hanging transfer case skid at one section - bounced around and even with lockers struggled but finally made it thru.
I was worried rue Elephant and Chevy pickup wouldn't be able to make it thru this challenging section but with a few tries after spinning and then getting some momentum and bouncing up they both made it!!! A few more easier snow covered rock sections led up to where we could see the sun and the trail flatten out and open up.
We made it!!!!! What a blast..... got home before 5 and now I'm hungry!!!
thanks everyone for coming out, this was a fun run! Felt like a young kid playing in the woods and ice and snow. We need to get out again soon
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2005 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon TJ
2021 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon Xtreme Recon edition
2023 Ford F150 Raptor